2011 Arnot Roberts Trousseau, Lake County. This is a new one for me (I think Tom had tried this). It was ok. Almost a rose in color. Light pinkish red color. Red cherry, a hint of herbal notes. A pleasant summer sipper, but nothing too profound or even interesting. Still...if it was cheaper and more available I can see this wine for a summer afternoon sitting by the pool (only sitting...I can't swim a stroke LOL)

2008 Lagier Meredith Mount Veeder Syrah. In honor of dragging my middle-aged weekend warrior butt up the steep side of Mount Veeder Road (12% grade in the blazing sun!)! Mount Veeder is so beautiful! This was, on the other hand, a more interesting wine. Sampled with dry rub smoked ribs, which it nicely complemented. The Syrah started out a little discombobulated, with piercing acidity, blazing blackberry fruit, and evident heat on the finish. After a short period open, a transformation occurred. All the edges smoothed out nicely, with the acidity remaining in place to cut nicely through the richness of the meat. The blackberry fruit was definitely still there, but the gameyness of the Syrah became much more apparant. A hint...just a hint...of funkyness added even more interest to the wine. Very nice wine, and I liked the owners when I met them one evening in downtown Napa!

Also...for contrast, we tried the 2007 Saint Gayan Gigondas. To me, this rather hot (15%!) Rhone blend could have easily been from Paso Robles. My friend, who enjoys Paso reds, liked this quite a bit. Plum, a bit of earth, big, rich chewy dark cherry-strawberry fruit. A little anonymous and New World for me. Nice contrast...the Napa wine was more "old world" to me!

...(Humans) are unique in our capacity to construct realities at utter odds with reality. Dogs dream and dolphins imagine, but only humans are deluded. –Jacob Bacharach

Brian K Miller wrote:2011 Arnot Roberts Trousseau, Lake County. This is a new one for me (I think Tom had tried this). It was ok. Almost a rose in color. Light pinkish red color. Red cherry, a hint of herbal notes. A pleasant summer sipper, but nothing too profound or even interesting. Still...if it was cheaper and more available I can see this wine for a summer afternoon sitting by the pool (only sitting...I can't swim a stroke LOL)

2008 Lagier Meredith Mount Veeder Syrah. In honor of dragging my middle-aged weekend warrior butt up the steep side of Mount Veeder Road (12% grade in the blazing sun!)! Mount Veeder is so beautiful! This was, on the other hand, a more interesting wine. Sampled with dry rub smoked ribs, which it nicely complemented. The Syrah started out a little discombobulated, with piercing acidity, blazing blackberry fruit, and evident heat on the finish. After a short period open, a transformation occurred. All the edges smoothed out nicely, with the acidity remaining in place to cut nicely through the richness of the meat. The blackberry fruit was definitely still there, but the gameyness of the Syrah became much more apparant. A hint...just a hint...of funkyness added even more interest to the wine. Very nice wine, and I liked the owners when I met them one evening in downtown Napa!

Also...for contrast, we tried the 2007 Saint Gayan Gigondas. To me, this rather hot (15%!) Rhone blend could have easily been from Paso Robles. My friend, who enjoys Paso reds, liked this quite a bit. Plum, a bit of earth, big, rich chewy dark cherry-strawberry fruit. A little anonymous and New World for me. Nice contrast...the Napa wine was more "old world" to me!

If you get a chance to try anything else from Arnot Roberts I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised. Chard, cab, syrah, really great, all old style CA.

David M. Bueker wrote:The acid levels in the Arnot-Roberts syrahs cause a bit of controversy elsewhere on the wine web, but I just love the wines.

I really like them also, tasted my first one blind, didn't have a clue that it was CA because what I perceived as balance. Weight on tongue definetly just didn't seem CA. I also liked the Trousseau more than Brian.

David M. Bueker wrote:The acid levels in the Arnot-Roberts syrahs cause a bit of controversy elsewhere on the wine web, but I just love the wines.

I really like them also, tasted my first one blind, didn't have a clue that it was CA because what I perceived as balance. Weight on tongue definetly just didn't seem CA. I also liked the Trousseau more than Brian.

Have you tried any of the Rancho Bodega wines, Lou? Adertised as coldest vineyard in the State Very, very racy and elegant.

David M. Bueker wrote:The acid levels in the Arnot-Roberts syrahs cause a bit of controversy elsewhere on the wine web, but I just love the wines.

I really like them also, tasted my first one blind, didn't have a clue that it was CA because what I perceived as balance. Weight on tongue definetly just didn't seem CA. I also liked the Trousseau more than Brian.

Have you tried any of the Rancho Bodega wines, Lou? Adertised as coldest vineyard in the State Very, very racy and elegant.